Improvement in breech-loading fire-arms



2 Sheets-Sheet 1, H. O. BULL; Breech-Loading Fire-Arm.

No. 209,010. Patented Oct. 15,1878.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Breech-Loading Fire-Arm.

No. 209,010. I Patented Oct. 15,1878.

.Wz'l'n assw I In venZZr fiafazwa E SAM/mam UNITED STATES PATENT OEETE.

HENRY C. BULL, OF BROOKLYN, NEY" YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN BREECH-LOADlNG FIRE-ARMS.

Specilication-forming part of Letters Pntcnth'o. 209,010. datedQctober15, 187S; application filed August 5, 1876.

To all whom it may concern: 2

Be it known that I, HENRY (J. BULL, of the city of Brooklyn, county ofKings and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in BreeclvLoading Fire- Arms; and I do hereby declare thatthe following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification,and to the figures and letters marked thereon.

My invention relates to that class of breechloading fire-arms in whichthe mechanism for opening and closing the rear end of the barrel for theinsertion or removal of the cartridge or shell is arranged upon theprinciple adopted by M. Flobert,and set forth in a patent obtained byhim November 17, 1855, No. 14,713, (Brevet dinvention, Tome 53, page 26,Plate 8, N. S.,) and incorporated in Letters Patent of the United Statesgranted to me November 2, 1875, No. 169,413.

My present improvements consist in simplifying, strengthening, anddisposing the parts in such relative arrangement, together with suchchanges in construction, that the manual manipulation of the mechanismis greatly facilitated, and a more rapid and certain action obtained,with greater security against accident.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation ofthat portion of thearm which includes the breech mechanism and otherdetails embodyin g my improvements. Fig. 2 represents the same with thesideplate removed, showing the relative arrangement of the severaloperative parts in a closed position. Fig. 3 represents a similar view,with the operative parts in an open position. Fig. 4 is a verticallongitudinalcentral section; Fig. 5 a plan view and Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9,10, 11 detached views, in perspective, of the breech mechanism.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresporidin g parts in theseveral figures.

A is the barrel; B, the receiver, and U the stock. The barrel A andstockC are securely attached to the receiver in the usual manner, or inany desirable or well-known way. The receiver B is recessed to containthe breech nected to or made a part of the operating lever or guard F,and rotated upon trunnious f, which have their bearings arranged withinthe side plates or walls of the receiver B.

A central mortise or slot, 0, and a conical aperture, 0 are formed inthe breeehfblock, to all low the pivoted hammer G to operate therein,and to be raised independently of or with the opening movement of thebreech-block. A shoulder, 0 is provided in the rear portion of theperiphery of the breech-block to receive the pivoted locking-brace H,which secures the same when closed, and forms an abutment to resist itsrecoil action when the cartridge is exploded.

It will be observed, Fig. 3, that the breechblock E, when opened, is inaposition beneath the line of the bore of the barrel, so that thecartridge may be readily inserted, and also ejected by the action of theextractor It, directly rearward, instead of being thrown upward towardthe face of the operator, as in other guns of this class.

The locking-brace H is swung upon trunnions h, and constructed with aconcave side, that bears upon the corresponding convex surface of thebreechblock, and is retained in contact therewith by the action of thespring t, and when the breech-block is closed it engages automaticallywith the shoulder 0 The trigger K is pivoted at it within a slot in thelocking-brace, as shown in Fig. 7, a shoulder, Jr, being formed in thelatter, so that they move rigidly together with the forward movement ofthe trigger, which disengages the locking-brace from the shoulder 0 andin the rearward movement of the trigger, which acts to release the searL from the tumbler g, in the usual manner, the locking-brace is notaffected, except by a tendency to be pressed a aiust the shoulder cwhich insures the security of the breech-block at the instant ofdischarge.

The hammer G is formed in one piece with the tumbler and is constructedwith a coni- 2 aoaoro cal nose, g, fitted to enter the aperture 0 in thebreech-block, and prevent the escape of gas or other matter therethroughwhen the cartridge is punctured and exploded, as described in my patentof November 2, 1875.

The tumbler g is formed upon the lower portion of the hammer, andprovided with the usual full-cock notch g while the half-cock notch isconstructed in the form of an angular hook, as shown at g, Fig. 8, thepoint I, Fig. 9, of the sear L being formed to fit and engage therewith.

The object of this construction is to arrest the hammer at the half-cocknotch in the event of the sear becoming disengaged from the full-cocknotch by accident, which is liable to occur when set with a haiutrigger!The scar L is pivoted at I, and extended rearward to engage with thespring i, which retains it in contact with the tumbler g and in positionto be acted upon by the'trigger K for disengaging it. The pivot h beingarranged in a line with the desired position of the sear, the latter isformed to encircle and pass by the same without interfering with thevertical movement of the sear.

The extractor B, Fig. .11, is pivoted at -r to the side plate, D, andarranged to en gage with the flange of the cartridge when in the-,position shown in Fig. 2. The breech-block is reeessed about equal indepth to the thickness of the extractor,and the sides of this recess,

0 are formed in the proper radial lines, to act upon the extractor andcause it to move rearward when the breech-block has opened a sufiieientdistance, and to return to its first position-when a new cartridge isinserted and the breech-block closed. The forward side of the extractoris constructed with an an gular projection, 1", which is acted upon bythe shoulder 0 Figs. 2 and 6'. which imparts a quick movement to theextractor, and projects the cartridge entirely clear of the arm.

The mainsprin g m is arranged beneath the barrel by means of the screwm, the free end of the spring acting within a concavity in the hammerformed below its center of motion, as shown in Fig. 1. The screw m isconstructed with a conical head, as shown, which is provided with anaperture to allow the ramrod M to pass through. This aperture may bethreaded to engage with a corresponding thread upon the ramrod and serveto retain it in its socket.

The rear sight, N, which 1 have devised and applied to this arm, isattached by means of two cheek-pieces, a a, secured by brazing, orotherwise, to the top of the barrel, through which and the sight-leaf anadjusting-screw, it, passes, which also serves as a pivot. Thesight-leaf is constructed somewhat narrower than the space between thesaid cheek-pieces, to provide for a lateral adjustment, that may bedesirable to allow for the efiect of the wind. The cheek-pieces n n aredownwardly inclined toward the muzzle of the barrel, and serve toelevate and form a rest for the sight-leaf at short ranges by slidingthe cross-bar a thereon. For long ranges the sight-leaf is elevated andthe cross-bar a" raised or lowered, in the usual manner.

The spring I is formed in one piece and with prongs i, the two former,it, acting upon the locking-brace H, and the latter or intermediateprong, t7, acting upon the rear end of the sear L, to retain them intheir proper position. v

The tension of the intermediate prong, i, may be varied by means of theadjustingscrew S when it is desired to diminish the force of the pullingaction required in operating the trigger in firing.

The manual manipulation of this mechanism is as follows: The neck of thestock (3 is grasped in the usual manner by the right hand, with thethumb over the top of the same, the forefinger forward of the trigger,the second finger behind it, (both within the lever or guard F,) and theremaining fingers beneath the lever or guard. The trigger is thenpressed slightly forward by the second finger, which releases thelocking-brace H from the shoulder a in the breech-block E, and at thesame time the lever or guard is pressed downward, thereby opening thebreech-block, which acts upon the extractor R, and ejects the eartridgefrom the barrel and raises the hammer to a full-cock. This action isefl'ected by a single movement of the hand and without changing itsposition, and may be simultaneous with the handling of the gun whenlowerin g it from the shoulder to the hip immediately followinga'discharge. This movement places the hand and gun in close proximity tothe.

cartridge box or belt, and during the insertion of a new cartridge areturn movement of the.

hand, simultaneous with the act of bringing the arm to the shoulder,draws the lever up, which closes and locks the breech-block, leaving thehammer cocked ready for firing.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. The extractor R, pivoted within the receiver B,and constructed with an angular projection, 1", in combination with therotating breech-block E, provided with arecess, c", inclosing andoperating the extractor, substantially in the manner set forth.

2. The half-cock notch 9 constructed of an angular hooked form,substantially as shown,

in combination with the sear L, provided with the angular notch 1 as andfor the purpose specified.

8. The pivoted locking-brace H, provided with a central slot or mortiseand shoulder, k, in combination with the trigger K, pivoted within saidslot, vibrating independently when operated to release the scar, and inconnection with the locking brace when operating to diseug'a'ge the samefrom the shoulder a of I In testimouywhereof I have signed my namethebreech-block, as set forth. to this specification in the presence of twosub- 4. The combination of the compound spring scribing witnesses.

I by its two outside members with the lock- 7 1 iiig-brace H, so as toengage it ivith the breech- I HENRX B block E, andby its middle memberwith the Witnesses:

sear L, in the manner and for the purposes A. J .A. POLLOOK,substantially as described. v I ()OTAVE WHITTAKER.

